406 Theology

This is a podcast run by Rev. Benjamin Melli, who lives in the Flathead Valley, Montana. The purpose is to provide content for those interested in theology and Biblical Christianity. There will be interviews, book reviews, sermons and random other projects. If you have any questions or critiques feel free too reach out!

Mark 12: What is the greatest commandment? 04/01/2025

Mark 12: What is the greatest commandment? Jesus is asked the question, "what is the greatest commandment in God's law?" He answers not with one commandment but with two. Why? The reason is because loving God and others cannot be seperated. We do not love others well when we do not love God, and the reverse is true as well. This is a sermon preached at First Presbyterian Church in Whitefish, Montana. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35954505

Mark 9:33-50: "Discipleship Lessons" 03/17/2025

Mark 9:33-50: "Discipleship Lessons" Jesus gathers the disciples in a house to further explain to them the process of learning to die to self and live for the Kingdom. Jesus is discipling them, he is modeling what they are to do with others. He gives 5 aspects of which reorient the disciples understanding of becoming a follower of Jesus: postion, prestige, public and private life, and purpose. This is a sermon preached at First Presbyterian Church in Whitefish. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35724750

Mark 9: "The Transfiguration" 03/10/2025

Mark 9: "The Transfiguration" The transfiguration recorded in Mark 9, witnessed by Peter, James and John served as a necessary encouragement and revelation of the reality of the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God with us. He is the image of the invisible God, the second person of the Trinity, the Word of God made flesh. He has been given authority and dominion over all things and we should listen to His words. This sermon was preached at First Presbyterian Church in Whitefish. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35608355

Mark 8 (pt. 2): Take Up Your Cross 03/03/2025

Mark 8 (pt. 2): Take Up Your Cross Who is Jesus? He is the Messiah sent to suffer death on the cross for the atonement of our sin. What is Jesus calling us to do? To follow Him in dying to ourselves by picking up our crosses. Why is Jesus calling us to do this? Because as we learn to die to ourselves our souls are reborn in the image of His likeness. The process of killing sin and living righteously is learning that our souls are eternal, we can have all the wolrd gives us but it won't please or redeem our souls. When is this process, this new kingdom, going to start? At the cross and resurrection of Jesus we see a Kingdom expand from just a local place (Israel) and a specific people (Jews) to an innagurated eschatology. A beginning of the end. The Kingdom of God is now, take up your cross and follow Him. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35514630

Mark 8 (pt.1): Seeing is Believing 02/24/2025

Mark 8 (pt.1): Seeing is Believing Christianity is unique among all other belief systems for a few reasons. The first one being the person and work of Jesus Christ. The good news that Christians must trust is that Jesus is the Son of God who came to save sinners from not just their actions but also their intentions, our hearts desires. Mark paints a picture for us which shows the hardness of heart and the need for a new heart as he shows us the interaction of the Pharisees seeking a sign from Jesus and the Apostles being concerned about the lack of food they have. This sermon shows us what Jesus saw as their real need. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35407275

Mark 7: What Defiles Someone? 02/17/2025

Mark 7: What Defiles Someone? Every culture has a mark of defilement, a way of distinguishing the deplorable from the righteous. We may define this with religion, ethics, knowledege, family name, or social status. In Jesus' day it was no different, but their defining matrix, the tradition of the elders, was elevated on the same authority as God's Word. For those who worship the One True God there is no other authority than God's revelatory Word. Mark shows us that Jesus is the final authority and it is was He tells us that should define our understanding of what is defiled in the eyes of the Father. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35314590

Mark 6: "Feeding His Church" 02/12/2025

Mark 6: "Feeding His Church" Jesus came to save sinners, and part of that means he came to call us to be disciples of Him. We get to participate in that mission, to make and mature disciples of Jesus! So what does a disciple look like? Mark gives us three truths to help us mature in understanding discipleship. This sermon shows us three of those truths. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35262190

Mark 5: "Kingdom Expansion" 02/03/2025

Mark 5: "Kingdom Expansion" The beginning of this audio contains a reading from chapter 5 of Mark. However; the first part of the reading is incomplete. The audio team apologizes for their mistake! The rest is a sermon preached about when a demon possessed man interacts with Jesus. The result is the first missionary sent out to the gentiles in the ministry of Jesus. It is an amazing story that illustrates the furtile soil Jesus refers to in the parable of the seeds. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35134645

Seeds of the Kingdom: Mark 4 01/28/2025

Seeds of the Kingdom: Mark 4 A sermon preached at First Presbyterian Church Whitefish. Mark chapter 4 contains is the main and most important parable that is used to explain the Kingdom of God for the whole Gospel. Jesus even says, "If you do not understand this parable, how can you understand all the parables." The big idea is that God will grow His Kingdom through His Son who is the seed that is cast out. He will do this in unexpected ways and in unexpected people. Mark chapters 4-8 affrim this! /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/35051240

Mark 2 & 3: The Lord vs. the lords 01/20/2025

Mark 2 & 3: The Lord vs. the lords A sermon preached at 1st Presbyterian Church in Whitefish, MT. This sermon shows how the the authority of Jesus clashes with the authority of man. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/34925600

Mark 1: 15-30 Preaching with Authority 01/20/2025

Mark 1: 15-30 Preaching with Authority A sermon preached at 1st Presbyterian Churh in Whitefish, MT /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/34925570

Mark 1: The Good News of Jesus Christ pt. 1 01/20/2025

Mark 1: The Good News of Jesus Christ pt. 1 Sermon Preached at 1st Presbyterian Church in Whitefish. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/34925525

Giving Thanks in times of Abundance 11/25/2024

Giving Thanks in times of Abundance The hardest time to give thanks are in times of great trial and great abundance. We often feel gratitiude when things are going well, but that is more of a feeling than real thankfulness to God. Here is a sermon that reminds us of the real gift giver behind all abundance. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/34139491

1 Peter 1:3-9 11/19/2024

1 Peter 1:3-9 This sermon is about three truths Peter offers us in the midst of suffering, and how to be full of joy and thankfulness despite our suffering. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/34020667

1 Peter 1:1-2: "To the Exiles. Pt. 1" 11/11/2024

1 Peter 1:1-2: "To the Exiles. Pt. 1" This last week our country elected a number of officials to office. Some Christians rejoiced, while others lamented. This sermon addresses three core truths that Christians need to remind themselves in times when we can be divided over something as important and powerful as politics. The first part of the scripture reading was cut off, so sorry! /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/33873392

Ruth 3: "The Lovingkiness of God." 10/21/2024

Ruth 3: "The Lovingkiness of God." Sermon preached at 1st Presbyterian Church in Whitefish, MT. This sermon tells the story of Ruth and Boaz in their display of covenantal love to each other. This love models the love that God has for us, which dislodges idols in our hearts and draws us to worship Him and Him alone. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/33553857

Ruth 1: "Coming Home" 10/07/2024

Ruth 1: "Coming Home" This is a sermon preached at 1st Presbyterian church in Whitefish. This sermon is one of four on the book of Ruth. In this sermon we see how the book of Ruth is set in the context of the days of the "Judges", yet also starts to answer the question of who will be King over God's people. Ruth, in so many ways, gives us a greater insight into the kind of King we need and have been given in the person of Jesus Christ. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/33353212

Titus 3: "Grace Be With You All" 09/30/2024

Titus 3: "Grace Be With You All" This is the last sermon I will preach at All Souls Church in Missoula, MT. In many ways this is like a graduation or commencment speech by Paul to Titus. Paul lays out is final thoughts and instructions to Titus as the church is established on Crete. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/33262332

Order in the Church Pt. 2: Titus 1:5-16 09/03/2024

Order in the Church Pt. 2: Titus 1:5-16 We all need leaders in the church to help us navigate the lanscape of being in a church with one another. This episode contains a sermon preached at All Souls Church in Missoula, MT, on the qualifications of an elder and what their role in the community looks like. The focus of this sermon is contained in this big idea: As grace expands in depth and width, the gospel needs to be defined and defended, for the sake of the hope of eternity and peace here on earth in God's community. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32878346

Titus 1:1-4: "Order in the Church pt. 1" 08/26/2024

Titus 1:1-4: "Order in the Church pt. 1" The foundation of ordering the church is the grace of God in our lives as given through Jesus Christ. He is our foundation. If we get this wrong, everything is tainted. In this sermon, we see Paul instruct Titus with a mission to put the church in order, but he must start with the foundation of God's grace. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32741682

John 15: "Abide in Me" 08/20/2024

John 15: "Abide in Me" The last "I am" statement by Jesus in the book of John is recorded in John 15:1. Jesus says, "I am the true vine." This imagry is taken from the O.T. in regards to a picture of the nation of Israel. Jesus is saying that he and all who are connected to Him are now the true Israel. There is no longer an ethnic distinction, but rather a spiritual demarcation of those who are God's people. This is why it is so important that we abide or remain in Jesus, the true source of Spiritual Life. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32659117

John 14: "I am the Way" 08/12/2024

John 14: "I am the Way" Various statements of Jesus have been wresteled with over different times and cultures. The statement Jesus makes in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life.", is the statment that sets Jesus apart in our time and culture. Jesus is making a truth claim that confronts against our pluralistic ideology. In the context of John, this statment was meant to be encouraging. So what hope does Jesus promise here? /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32543192

John 11: "I am the Resurrection." 08/05/2024

John 11: "I am the Resurrection." This is a sermon preached at All Souls Church in August of 2024. The famous story of the resurrection of Lazarus, as recorded in John ch. 11, reminds us of our not only our eternal state, but also of the curretn reality of the resurrection to life we have in Jesus today. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32446377

John 10: "I Am the Good Shepherd" 07/29/2024

John 10: "I Am the Good Shepherd" Sermon preached at All Souls Church in Missoula, MT. This is a part of the "Seven I Am" statements in the book of John. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32339967

John 10 pt. 1: " I am the door" 07/22/2024

John 10 pt. 1: " I am the door" Sermon preached at All Souls Church, Missoula MT. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32244557

Sermon: John 8, "I am the Light of the World" 07/17/2024

Sermon: John 8, "I am the Light of the World" Sermon preached on 7/14/24 at All Souls church in Missoula MT. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32172677

John 6 : "I Am the Bread of Life" 07/08/2024

John 6 : "I Am the Bread of Life" Sermon preached at All Souls Church in Missoula. This is the beginning of a preaching series on the "7 I am Statments", all found in the gospel of John. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/32055332

Jonah's Garden: Jonah ch. 4 06/17/2024

Jonah's Garden: Jonah ch. 4 This is a sermon preached at All Souls Church in Missoula, MT. This sermon looks at the last chapter in the book of Jonah, it ends with a question, one which the audience is to ponder. Jonah points towards God's character of compassion, which is embodied in the the greater prophet, Jesus Christ, God made man. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/31781052

Jonah 3: "Jonah's Message" 06/11/2024

Jonah 3: "Jonah's Message" The beginning of the scripture reading was cut off, my apologies. This sermon was delivered at All Souls Church in Missoula. In this sermon, Jonah obeys the word of the Lord and goes to Nineveh to preach against the violence found there, which was an affront to God. This reminds us that God is indeed calling all nations, not just those who believe in him already, to repent of wickedness and trust in His salvation. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/31699622

Jonah Ch. 2: "Jonah's Fight" 06/05/2024

Jonah Ch. 2: "Jonah's Fight" This chapter describes Jonah's experience in grace. Jonah is not done learning, but he certainly begins to learn about God's mercy and grace for sinnners, all while in the belly of a whale. This sermon was preached at All Souls Church in Missoula. /episode/index/show/f76520bb-c9bd-4a36-8acc-81af5b7308be/id/31620517

406 Theology

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